Imaginarium
by Petra Jade
Summary: Life after becoming a demon is full of chances and changes, realizations and wonderings, but it is mostly full of fantasies and imaginings. Thirteen moments in the unending lives of Demon!Ciel and Sebastian, based on the thirteen songs from the Nightwish album of the same name.
1. Taikatalvi

Hush. Let's just get this over with. So the plot bunnies will leave me alone.

Don't own it. Nope. Never will.

Chapter 1: Taikatalvi

~O~

The snow was falling.

It heralded many things, such as the start of the noble migrations. Even being disconnected from the world of nobles, young Ciel still travelled with the nobles with his faithful butler forever by his side. Call it habit, or even just a whim, he never failed to follow the crowds on their routes to the countrysides as if honoring the blanketing white's wish for silence and peace found only in the expansive properties the relatives of the royal family possessed. Him being the descendant of a royal cousin, Ciel was quite used to the movements of the nobles. But the snow heralded other things as well.

Such as his birthday.

He personally did not care for his birthday, finding it a waste of day to celebrate his birth as well as his parents' deaths, but celebrating it amused his family members and servants, so he allowed it. Now none of them where left, and his birthday seemed another hollow day, another day with pitch-black nails and a decreased understanding of humans. But every year, without fail, his butler would ask him what he wanted for his birthday. How Sebastian kept track of the days when Ciel's years seemed to merge together into one large mess never ceased to confound the younger demon. But he always knew, and Ciel would be at a loss for a schedule if it were not for the elder demon's remembrance of time.

But today Sebastian was quiet. Ciel had already told him what the younger wanted, and like a true Phantomhive butler, he did exactly as his master wished: he made it snow. The younger demon closed his eyes and let the tiny flakes land on his face and stick to his eyelashes like cold angel kisses. The ground beneath him was cold, but to his new demonized body, the feeling was muted, almost pleasant. Like the cool side of the pillow after a long day. Around him the world was still, silenced by the tiny snowflakes that layered the ground in glittering white. His tiny figure stood out easily, his black clothing like a great impure spot on an otherwise flawless lamb. But his demeanor seemed so in place, he was still, still as death, and even his breathing was quiet. Snowflakes landed on his lips and melted instantly, making for icy-cold droplets to fall down from his lips and nose like tears.

He felt rather than heard Sebastian's approach. Over the passing years he had become very intune to Sebastian, he was nearly as good at knowing where the elder was as Sebastian was all knowing to Ciel's whereabouts. But the warmth that accompanied Sebastian's hovering was hard to miss. It washed over the younger's body, a not over-all unejoyable experience but it did clash with what he had been doing previous. But the taller demon merely sat by the younger in the snow and Ciel lifted his head to rest on his butler's leg, feeling warmth overtake his neck as snow continued to fall on his face. His face remained passive, but he knew Sebastian could feel his peace and contentment. As impossible as happy seemed for the tortured young Earl and cheated elder demon, for a moment it almost seemed possible.

Ciel opened his clear blue eyes to see the sky. Silver and grey playfully battled while whites and dots of pale blue danced in and out of the fight. The clouds lazily rolled across the sky, constantly sprinkling the earth with pure white flakes of crystallized beauty. A slight turn of his head and his butler's pitch colored tailcoat made for a startling contrast to the hibernating trees that looked as dead as the feelings concerning that day. Grey and white wood littered with black and brown scars dotted the distance, and the faintest specks of lichen too stubborn to succumb to the cold and die were in high detail as the young demon's eyes trailed over the scenery. Everything was lifeless and quiet under the snow as if not even humans dared break the vow of silence nature had taken.

It was almost mystical, the feeling of calm and rest that overcame the small frame. After a few moments, the velvet voice of his constant companion gently broke the silence, his voice quietly raised above a respectful whisper. "Does this please you, my lord?" He asked softly and Ciel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Sebastian fishing for compliments? It was indeed enchanted weather. Ciel closed his eyes again and left his butler hanging in silence before he answered. "It will suffice." He said, voice matching the ice that fell around him. He felt Sebastian's smirk and new if the man was anything but a bird, he would be purring. Ciel mentally sighed, allowing his butler a moment of pride before they returned to their reality of immortality. But as the gloved hands of his only constant ran through his dark locks, Ciel allowed himself to relax completely. Humans would have called it "sleep" but demons did not need such things. Completely aware of his surroundings, but relaxed in the presence of his protector, Ciel allowed himself to become weak before the one man who desired him dead over all others.

It was indeed an enchanted winter.

~O~

First chapter finished.

For those who don't know, Taikatalvi is Finnish for "Enchanted Winter."

And Earls or Counts were distant relatives to the direct monarch. Usually descendants of cousins, since the king/queen gave land holdings to the non-throne inheriting members of the family usually. So it's a safe assumption the first Phantomhive was a cousin or something to a former British monarch.

Nightwish wrote all these amazing songs. Check them out. You will drool.

Petra Jade


	2. Storytime

Song two on the Imaginarium Album. Used lyrics for no reason. Couldn't in the first chapter 'cause the song is in Finnish and who wants to try and read Finnish while on a Black Butler kick?

Still just borrowing the characters for fun.

~O~

Chapter 2: Storytime

_I am the voice of Never-Never-Land _

_The innocence, the dreams of every man _

_I am the empty crib of Peter Pan _

_A silent kite against the blue, blue sky, _

_Every chimney, every moonlit sight _

_I am the story that will read you real _

_Every memory that you hold dear_

~O~

His young master had always had a rather odd obsession with fairy tales. It was odd, but Sebastian had never really questioned it openly. While his master's body lay soulless, while Sebastian travelled, carrying the tiny frame from one clue to the next, chasing rumors and clues concerning the Earl's ring, Sebastian had read Ciel fairy tales. It was rather silly, reading to an inanimate body, but Sebastian could never stop himself from doing it. Every night, he read a chapter from a book, a section from a short story, something fantastical to his beautiful young master.

And now that his master was bound to eternity, same as him, Sebastian found himself reflecting back on all those stories. And when they returned to the ruined Phantomhive manor, decades after it had been abandoned and forgotten, the first thing the younger did was check on the state of his library. Strangely enough, the various robbers and thieves that sought to make a quick fortune with useless materials and antiques from an old house had left all his books alone. It made Ciel snort at their stupidity and he often commented on the greed of men, making Sebastian non-too-gently remind him that the boy had also been human.

But he was human no longer, but his obsessions remained the same. So as Ciel ran a gloved hand down the spine of an old and thick fairy tale book written in German—a gift from Clause on his seventh birthday—Sebastian noticed the young master smile to himself. The butler quietly dismissed himself to fix the damage to the interior, while not changing the exterior very much. Let the humans think the manor was haunted; it would just make for a peaceful existence for the two demons. But as soon as he turned to leave, his master's voice bid him back and he quickly returned to his master's side.

"Yes, my lord?" He asked, demonic powers shifting underneath his unmoving form in preparation to grant the wish of the small form before him. Ciel held up the old book before his butler's face and casually spoke. "Do you know what this is?" He asked and Sebastian raised an eyebrow in slight confusion. "A fairy tale book, young master." He answered nonetheless. Ciel rolled his eyes. "Of course it is, you git. But _what_ is it?" He asked with a playful glint in his eyes. Never being one for riddles he knew he could not solve, Sebastian sighed. "I do not know, young master. Care to enlighten me?" He asked and Ciel smirked. "It's a collection of the most well known stories throughout Germany and parts of France and Spain. It's a rare find." He said and Sebastian nodded.

"Of course my master would have such a book in his collection. It fits a lord-" "Oh, hush, Sebastian." Ciel said with a slightly annoyed roll of his eyes. "Do you know all the fairy tales, Sebastian?" He asked and Sebastian nodded. "Of course I do." He said in his 'hell of a butler' tone that made Ciel smirk wider. "I've never been one for happy endings." He said and when Sebastian nodded at the obvious statement, Ciel continued. "And luckily, fairy tales rarely have them." He said with a smirk. He opened the book and turned to a random page after random page, listing off things. "Killing your step mother to influence your father's marriage choices, being raped in your sleep and waking to having children, suicide over a failed love affair, outwitting the Devil and killing his wife, my goodness Sebastian. These "heroes" did more than I ever did." He said with a smirk. Sebastian nodded slowly. "Don't forget, my lord, the villains in those tails also received judgment. Dancing in red-hot shoes until killed, tearing in two, being eaten by bears, getting eyes pecked out by birds, many fairy tales have gruesome endings for villains." He said and Ciel nodded with a smirk.

"These stories also have a lot to do with tricking witches, escaping demons or deals with the devil." Ciel commented mostly to himself as Sebastian's eyes flashed demonic pink. "My predecessor would often read these stories to me when I was younger, telling me to learn from the mistakes these fictional people made." He said and Sebastian chuckled. "Seems you didn't head those words, my young lord." He taunted and Ciel shut the book with a thundering slam in his two hands, sending an explosion of dust into the air. "Not a one. And look where is has gotten me." He said, standing and crossing over to the large worn hole in the wall. Plants had begun to over take the hole, but a dying sun shone through the holes of the weak, covering Ciel's form with spots of golden sunshine. He folded his hands behind his back and looked out into the sun with his bi-colored eyes, the contract mark burning strongly against the light of the sun. "I am living those fairy tales now, Sebastian." He said quietly.

"I am the villain, the hero, the princess even. I have played all those parts and am now at the end of all fairytales. Their stories ended. Mine will not." He said, voice even and no sadness detectable. But Sebastian knew his master better than that. "Then we will simply rewrite those stories." He said and Ciel turned to him slowly with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Rewrite the stories?" He said and Sebastian nodded, his smiled demonically serene. "This is your story time, young master, so how does the story go?" He asked and Ciel smirked. "Yes." He said as his butler approached, the elder boldly wrapping his long arms around the younger like wings. "I will read myself real."

~O~

Crap ending. Oh well.

Next chapter is darker.

Fairytales mentioned (in order by mentioning): Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Hansel and Gretel (an older French version), Snow White, Rumplestilksin, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a more modern Cinderella

Petra Jade


	3. Ghost River

Dark Chapter. One of the reasons this story is T. Not much romance. More like attraction.

Don't own a single thing. Just messing with them for the amusement of myself and the rabid fangirls.

Enjoy.

~O~

Chapter 3: Ghost River

_We will go down we will drown drown, deeper down_

_The river wild will be our last ride_

_We will go down we will drown drown, deeper down_

_The mills grind slow in a riverbed ghost town_

~O~

Slipping from humanity should not have been so easy.

But it was, oh it _was_ and Sebastian was eating up every moment that Ciel slowly slipped further and further into dark oblivion. Every helpless human crying out on the street that Ciel passed by with cold uncaring, every time Ciel asked Sebastian to teach him something newly diabolical, every time his young master's unendingly creative mind thought up knew ideas to bring about dark justice on the slum-side streets they now walked upon; Sebastian was enjoying every second of it.

And Ciel was just _so_ eager to charge into the darkness being a demon offered. The two ran the streets now, his young master once again taking his proper place on a throne coated with blood and shadow. Children crying, people being robbed, murder, rape, all of it formed a symphonic lullaby the former evil noble took his rest to each day. Sebastian held his master close to him each time the younger took to a rest, shielding the innocent-looking fiend with his arms like an overprotective animal. But once the child awoke, the two took to the streets and Sebastian watched proudly as Ciel restated his dominance over the crumbling poor of the slums. True, one day they would move on, but the dark, damp and disease filled poor made excellently easy prey for a demon's first lessons.

And Ciel was wickedly good at manipulating the desperate into contracting with him. But then, hadn't he always? Promising a way out of the slums, Ciel would toss pretty words at those desperate enough to throw away the one good thing they had going for them. But, humans had always been easy enough to prey upon. And while the souls were not very tasty to an experienced palette such as Sebastian's, the large intake was nothing to turn down, and it was ever so much fun to irritate Will and watch him take out his irritation on Grell. So Sebastian allowed Ciel's overindulgence to continue and smirked with pride as he brought about dark and deliciously deceitful justices to those who had wronged the contracted.

The poor fool who had recently contracted the small demon had caught young Ciel in a rather foul mood, having been rained on just a day before and having no clothing to spare. While a shallow reason, it was a reason to awaken Ciel's sadism, and it burned brightly as he paced around the contract's target like a lion. Sebastian stood loyally to the side, pride and something close to a lustful attraction reeling just below the surface of his perfectly still façade. The contract had been emotionally wounded by another poor man and had demanded Ciel teach him a lesson. Ciel had ordered the man delivered to an old dock warehouse—one that was mostly used for Opium storage now—all tied up like a Christmas turkey, and like a true butler, Sebastian had delivered. And not a moment too soon, for Ciel had been growing more and more agitated at the way his shorts were chaffing him as they dried.

With a simply flick of his wrist, the man had been hung up like a child's swing above the floor that Sebastian kicked out at another wave of his master's hand. Below the wood was the black churning waters of the sea, the warehouse instantly filled with the scent of the sea. Ciel smirked and licked his salty lips in thought before he stood and ordered Sebastian to stand to the side until he was complete. Ciel reached up and removed the blindfold and gag from the man's mouth and tilted his head when the man began sputtering excuses and pleas for the boy to spare him. "How disgusting." Ciel snapped and the man went into a whimpering silence and Ciel patted him like a dog. "Not even five seconds and you're already sniveling." He said with a bored and disappointed roll of his eyes. "You are not even worth playing with." He said as he began to cut at one of the five ropes holding the man up. The man squealed loudly and Ciel winced at the sound, still not quite used to how sensitive his ears were now, and looked at the man.

"Come now, man." He berated, placing his knife under the man's throat like a finger to his chin. "Even if you are about to die, your still British. Show some backbone." He said casually before he resumed cutting away at the thick ship rope. The man sniffed and whimpered and Ciel sighed. "Alright, alright, fine. Guess I'll just have to get some kind of enjoyment out of this." He said as he backed up and tapped the blade against his chin as if he was thinking. "Sebastian!" He barked and instantly the taller figure was at his side. Ciel lifted his knife up and Sebastian took it. "Stand by him. If he moves-" the younger began, sending an evil grin at the man, "cut a finger off. If we run out of fingers, take his tongue out, then his ears." He said and the elder nodded and bowed. "Yes, my lord." He said as he strode over to the man's side. Ciel walked some distance away and began looking through the suitcase Sebastian kept packed for his belongings.

"My dear sir, you may not know this, but I was taught marksmanship by the man currently ready to carve you to bits." He said casually, lifting a handgun from the various objects and checking to see if it was loaded. "He made sure I knew how to shoot, like a proper nobleman. And he disciplined me when I shot wrong." He said, grabbing a few extra rounds and turning to the man, swinging the gun like it was a toy. "I could even shoot from horseback." He said and the man slowly nodded, then screamed as Sebastian uncaringly chopped off his right thumb. "I seem to recall I said no moving." Ciel said casually, smirk seemingly to be permanent on his face. "It'll throw off my aim." He said as he cocked the gun and aimed. The sound of a gun firing and the man winced as his leg fell from its binding. He shrieked as the left thumb was removed, Sebastian bringing the knife quickly to a handkerchief for cleaning. Ciel shook his head and clicked his tongue. "No moving." He reminded and shot off four more times, the man feeling his body sinking towards the ground as only one rope remained, the very one Ciel had been sawing earlier.

The man's hands were still bound to his body, making it impossible for him to swim if the rope keeping him suspended collapsed, and from the groaning and cracking noises above him, the fibers of the rope were giving out one by one, and rather quickly. "Have you ever seen a drown man?" Ciel asked and the man did not move to shake his head. "It's hideous, the body gets all bloated with water and the skin looks like a fish, wet, pale and almost scaly looking. The eyes are all glazed over and the lips are blue and swollen, so is the tongue. And the smell, like dead fish." Ciel slowly described as the robes gave out. The man fell with a startled scream into the water and for a moment or two the surface churned with his desire to live, then the serene glass-like state of the water returned.

Ciel strode over to the hole and looked indignantly at the surface of the water. "Consider yourself lucky, human." He said, eyes flashing. "You get to ride your life's river to its very end, I was forced to cross mine and shall never see its end." He said as he handed the gun to Sebastian. "Sebastian," he said, "after we collect the soul, I feel like having seafood for dinner." He said as they exited the warehouse.

~O~

That chapter totally didn't write itself. Nope. Not one bit.

Next chapter is a little more romance-y. Or something like that. I figure I'll fit a cuddly scene or something to feed you fangirls.

Ah well. Reviews make me write faster.

Petra Jade


	4. Slow, Love, Slow

Oh look. Citris-scented fluff.

Still don't own anything.

Enjoy.

~O~

Chapter 4: Slow, Love, Slow

_Southern blue, morning dew_

_Let-down-your-guards, I-love-you's_

_Ice-cream castles, lips-to-ear rhymes_

_A slumber deeper than time_

_Slow, love, slow_

_Only the weak are not lonely_

~O~

It was not supposed to have meant anything. Demons were not supposed to feel anything, so why was there this pull in his chest like a rope was tugging him towards the tall figure stalking around the hotel room they were sharing? It confounded him and frustrated him beneath the mask of uncaring apathy as he watched his butler clean the room they were renting. _Renting_. As in paying someone _else_ to take care of it, yet there was his butler, cleaning away as if he enjoyed it. Ciel was caught between fascination and pity; it was like watching a dog doing a routine in one of those pet shows they sometimes caught in passing. Like his butler was trained. But for some reason his butler doing such an unnecessary thing when he could be tending to his master irked Ciel slightly and he felt his eyebrow tick.

"Sebastian." He drawled out, the apathetic tone of his voice betraying the irritated impatience underneath. "You are aware we are _paying_ someone else to clean this room, correct?" He said. His butler stood and Ciel could feel his butler's smugness without the elder turning. "But of course, young master. But if I did not make sure the room was to my master's liking, what kind of butler would I be?" He asked in that rhetorical way that made Ciel roll his eyes. "Whatever." Came Ciel's usual apathetic reply. But when his butler turned to him however, he once again felt the tugging and he instantly tried to crush it. No, it meant nothing. Like all the other times before, it had meant nothing.

Ciel averted his gaze and stood with a sigh, moving to leave the room, Sebastian loyally following behind as the boy strode out and into the hallways. People quickly averted their gazes, feeling the malicious aura that swirled around the two. But the rumors still flew, and both demons could hear them. Just _what_ could such a young boy be doing in a room with a man who was so much older than him? Ciel resisted the urge to roll his eyes, finding it stupid that this era had eliminated the need for the nobles to have their butlers do everything for them. Clearly in this time, it was unusual to have an older manservant following him around, not like Ciel cared. Besides, all those rumors those twittering ladies came up with? Every last one was most likely _true_. There was very little Sebastian had _not_ done to Ciel and precious little Ciel had done in return. Call it the final decadent decay; Ciel was no longer an innocent flesh.

They made their way out into the morning-lit streets and silently made their way into a nearby park. It was a standard park, filled with grass and trees and children and many things that made Ciel instantly dislike the noise. He continued walking until he entered a more secluded part and sat on a stone bench that overlooked a large stone fountain that poured out of the top. Sebastian stood behind him and Ciel sighed, adjusting his eye patch absentmindedly. "Sebastian," he began, "I thought demons had no emotions." He said and Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Now, when did you ever come up with that idea?" He asked, voice amusedly mocking. "Of course demons have emotions, or else we would not be able to adjust ourselves to our masters." He said. Ciel leaned back and just shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, attachments then." He explained and heard the taller chuckle.

"Yes. That is true. Demons are free of attachments." He said with a dark chuckle. Ciel nodded and felt his confusion rise. So, why did he feel this tugging towards the elder demon? It would never do to ask the demon outright; in fact, he would do quite the opposite and never ask. He could nearly hear his servant's mocking tone now, and he decided that the lesser of the two irritations was to never ask. "Why the curiosity, young master?" Sebastian asked and Ciel felt his body stiffen. "No reason, I was simply curious." He retorted and Sebastian smirked. "Of course, my lord." He said. Ciel thought for a moment in silence and decided that even if he would never have his answer, Sebastian was still his property. "Sebastian." He barked in his ordering tone that made the taller instantly prepare for an order. "Sit next to me." Ciel said and the elder instantly obeyed.

Ciel looked at him from the corner of his eye and, cursing himself, moved over and sat on his butler's lap, face stubbornly pointed towards any direction _but_ Sebastian's face. The elder chuckled, amusement coming off him in waves as he moved to maneuver Ciel's hips to a more comfortable position. Ciel's reaction was instantaneous as his face snapped towards his butler and he smacked the elder's hands away. "What do you think you are doing?" He hissed, voice near to a shriek. Sebastian did not skip a beat and smiled placidly. "I was merely adjusting my young master to a more comfortable position." He said and Ciel crossed his arms, once again fixing on that point that was away from Sebastian's face. He felt Sebastian's hands on his hips again and this time did nothing to stop him, but nor did he offer any assistance. They were silent again for a while, sometimes catching the looks of others who passed by, but neither truly cared. What were fleeting rumors to an immortal? Nothing more than moth wings before a flame. A slight sound, than nothing.

"Is my young master worried about our bond?" Sebastian's sudden voice made Ciel almost jump, but he held it back. "What was that?" He asked, feigning a lazy tone. Sebastian chuckled and buried his face into his master's neck, kissing the flesh there. Ciel rolled his eyes but tilted his head, allowing the elder more room to work. "I asked if you were questioning our bond, young master." He said softly against the skin that was marked not too long ago. Ciel scoffed and tucked his legs under his butler's, effectively moving the smaller boy closer. "Not at all." He said honestly as his arms unwound themselves from each other and made their way to Sebastian's shirt buttons. "I was simply curious. I am not worried about losing my property." He stated and Sebastian smirked against the pale skin before he nipped it, causing the smaller to involuntarily shudder. "And indeed you should not be." Sebastian stated, putting a hand to Ciel's back and moving the boy to face him. Ciel nodded slowly and felt the tugging in his chest increase as Sebastian placed a chaste kiss on the smaller.

No, he would never ask; it was not something that was needed right away. He just knew it had something to do with the remaining parts of his rapidly vanishing soul and their contracted bond. All Ciel knew was what he had observed, and everything he needed was given to him by Sebastian. The young boy tilted his head back as the elder demon attacked the front of his neck and behind his closed eyes ran thoughts of indecision and that annoyingly fleeting fear in the back of his mind that Sebastian would leave him like everyone else. But as soon as it reared its ugly head, Ciel quickly crushed it. He had no need for irrational fears anymore. Fear was for the weak and stupid, neither of which Ciel was. But as Sebastian opened his mouth and the elder's teeth closed around the younger's mostly uncovered shoulder hard enough to break skin, Ciel allowed himself to relax and be weak for a moment. It would not last long, and soon he would be retaliating Sebastian's public boldness, but for now, he allowed himself to be weak. For only the weak were not lonely.

~O~

Can you feel the love tonight?

Me neither. Oh well, their relationship is not really that openly loving anyway.

Next up is one of my favorites on the album. Lots to do with memories. Expect emo. And maybe comforting fluff. I don't know. How much do you love me?

Review and let me know.

Petra Jade.


	5. I Want my Tears Back

**First off, I need to say something, and this is going to be at the top of all my new chapters: please, PLEASE leave a review if you liked the story. I am not a review-whore, in any sense of the word, but reviews are the life-blood of a fanfiction author as well as "likes" and "alerts." They are incredibly important to authors because it makes them feel like their writing is worthwhile. It also makes people deem a story "worthy of their time" if the story has more reviews. So, PLEASE, if you like a story (any story, not just mine) REVIEW IT. Even if it is anonymous. Let the author know you appreciate the effort they put into making a story for you to enjoy.**

**Thank you, those of you who actually read that.**

Still have no idea where you are getting this idea I own things. Last chapter was fluff, this one may also some in it. Maybe. If you squint.

~O~  
Chapter 4: I Want my Tears Back

_Where is the wonder where's the awe_  
_Where's dear Alice knocking on the door_  
_Where's the trapdoor that takes me there_  
_Where the real is shattered by a Mad March Hare_

_Where is the wonder where's the awe_  
_Where are the sleepless nights I used to live for_  
_Before the years take me_  
_I wish to see_  
_The lost in me_  
~O~

Something was very wrong with the young master. Sebastian had noticed it for a while, but Ciel seemed to be pulling away from everything, even from _him_. Now, some cruel part of Sebastian enjoyed watching the young demonling spiral into self-torment in repayment for basically cheating the elder out of what was promised, but an odd mix of apathy towards the past and a growing affection for the child made him concerned when the former-Earl refused to leave the abandoned wreck that was now his room. So the demon decided that, butler decorum or not, he was going to get his answer. He carefully prepared a small chocolate treat, since the Earl still had a sweet tooth, and made his way up the vine covered stairs to the doors that heralded his master's room. He knocked once, twice, a third time with no answer and a sigh escaped his lips. This was getting ridiculous.

With a swift kick to the wood that made up the door, it shattered nearly completely and Sebastian vaguely wondered if he would have to replace it, or it his master would leave it like it was to add to the overall sense of abandonment the place had. But Sebastian's long limbs quickly cleared the rubble as he made his way into the barely lit front room that was full of Ciel's favorite books. The fireplace had long been caved in, and was ignored as Sebastian made his way to the door to the actual bedroom. Fishing the ornate key that only he possessed, Sebastian quickly unlocked the door and made his way into the darkness. "Young master?" He called out curiously into the dark room. A slight noise from the bed was his response and with a few long strides the tall demon closed the distance between him and the master's bed. "Young master, this is no time to be sleeping." He chided softly and a scoff was his response.

"Demons do not sleep, Sebastian." Came an icy reply and the elder rolled his eyes as he lifted the covers from his master's laying form. His master was laying face to face with the remains of what was once the rabbit he had, the one with the ash-grey fur, royal blue ribbon and eyepatch. From what Sebastian remembered, the rabbit was released as part of the celebration collection marking the Earl's return to the land of living. It was wildly popular and provided the funds the once-Earl needed to once again build a toy and confection empire. Though this was one was torn and leaking stuffing, but still Ciel laid looking straight at it. "Young master, I do believe that you will never win a staring contest with a stuffed rabbit." Sebastian commented as he fixed the pillows. The younger snorted. "Be quiet, Sebastian." He barked, still staring at the toy with concetration that rivalled his reading concetration. The elder looked at his master with a stiff ruby gaze before he sat on the bed, his added weight pulling the smaller body towards him.

"Is there a reason you are staring at the toy?" He asked and the young master's gaze remained firm, though irritation flashed pink through his eyes. "Why not stare at it, Sebastian? It's not as though I have anything else to do." The younger snapped and a flash of realization glittered across a suddenly amused face. "Ah~" He purred as he moved closer to the child. "Regretting immortality, are we, young master?" He said in a condescending tone that made Ciel stiffen. He sat up and met his butler's gaze with his own as he fearlessly looked the elder demon straight on, despite their closeness. "No. I regret the monotony." He snapped. "At least as a mortal I had a blessed final goal, that being of my death, but now as that goal is forever removed from my path, I have nothing to look forward too. Tell me, Sebastian, why is it mortals seek immortality? It seems to me to be nothing but a bother." He said and Sebastian chuckled, his tone a shrug.

"Perhaps humans always see things they can never normally have as better. Humans always consider other people's belongings to be better than their own." He said and Ciel rolled his visible eye again, adjusting his weight on his other arm and staring down at his pitch nails. "I used to be a king in this chess game called life, pawns fell before me as I moved towards my goal. I played games against all minds, clever and simple. I was decorated at the age of ten and investigated and put an end to endless crime lords, cults and general wrongs for three years. At the age of thirteen I was thrust into immortality by a jealous mortal and his devoted demoness." He listed and Sebastian silently waited. "But those mean nothing now that I have lived through that life and have passed into another. I miss the old life, Sebastian. I miss being able to pit my wits against other intellegent minds, I miss being able ot learn new things. I miss being human." He confessed and Sebastian gave a half-nod.

It was vague, but he remembered once have the same regrets when he was a young demon as well. But soon the regret faded into apathy and then his unending fascination with humans and their habits. He did not move, but his presence, his demonic aura reached out and folded over the boy like wings. "It is regretable you feel that way, young master. But I trust it will past." He assured and Ciel nodded tiredly before leaning his head against the taller's shoulder, his own aura melding with the elder's, intertwining for a moment of need. Sebastian still remained still, offering no physical comfort to the child. "For now, I will allow you to want your old life back." He said.

~O~

Pfft. There's no fluff there. Not one tiny ounce. Nope. Totally a fluff-free diet right there.

Hey, you should like me on Facebook. Link is on my profile.

Love,

Petra Jade


	6. Scaretale

**No. There shall be no explination for this delay.**

**Just read.**

**And warning: this is probably the scariest chapter in the story (the song ****_Scaretale_**** has a lot to do with nightmares). No lyrics this time, because quite frankly the lyrics make NO sense outside of context.**

**Oh, before I get too into this stuff, I've been toying with the idea to write a bunch of random Kuro crossovers with other animes (like a bunch of one shots) and the thought amused me. Thoughts?**

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If the afterlife was an endless sleep, then at some point there had to be nightmares.

But the immortal never had an afterlife, never slept, and therefore never had nightmares; what was a once-boy to do? Make nightmares for others, of course. The idea of giving into his selfishly dark and sadistic side had long been a tempting idea-Sebastian knew there were _many_ individuals that were only alive because Ciel liked to keep some form of social face in England-and with nothing holding him back, Ciel's boredom boiled over into something truly frightening. He became obsessed with people's fears and their reactions, gauging them against his own reactions to the fears that once paralyzed and made him sick.

And he would spin such _horribly_ terrifying nightmares for people that Sebastian felt his own heart skip a beat when Ciel had that certain grin on his face. The grin that spelled _disaster_ for another living creature but spelled months of amusment for the two devils. And months of work were put into the preperations Ciel made, he always was a stickler for details. He would find out a target's fear and then meticulously arrange a full on _production_ for them based on every last version their fear could hold. Every situation, every possible scenario, every turn of the endless fear maze was plastered with the person's fear.

And when Ciel's expirement was done-when the victim gave him the response he wanted or became too boring to watch anymore-Ciel would harvest the soul for Sebastian and himself. It was a thing of beauty, a gorgeous peice of _artwork_ that had Sebastian drooling with every turn. The screams of the victims were like a symphony to his ears, coupled with the whimperings and pleading of those tiny mortal voices, Sebastian could hardly contain himself when Ciel finally told him it was time to build another maze. It was like he was alive again, and it was a foreign but all too welcome feeling for the old demon.

Sebastian closed his eyes as another horrid scream tore through the echoing hallways of the current maze. A serene smile graced the demon's lips at the familiar sound of blood spattering against the floor as a noise like that of tearing skin and muscle echoed like harp's strings in the demon's ears. He could see it in his mind's eye (or rather through Ciel's eyes as their telepathic connection now allowed for that); the man was screaming in terror as those tiny legs skittered across his skin in furry patterns of an eight-legged dancer, a small and finely dressed figure sitting on the man's legs, slowly tearing into his stomach with a child-like curiosity. His young master had a way of turning something so stomach churning into something akin to unwrapping a present at Christmas as he tore once again into the squishy flesh of the man's abdomen and finally pulled out the white essence of the soul.

With a final gurgle, the man's eyes faded over as a particularly large breed of tarantula came to rest on his face, one leg resting on his open eye. Ciel stood and snapped his fingers, his dutiful butler appearing instantly with a wet towel and cleaned his master's hand as Ciel used his free hand and teeth to tear the soul in half. Dangling a half in his butler's face, Ciel swallowed his half and reached down to allow a blue-furred trapdoor spider to scurry on to his hand. He lifted the creature to his face and listened to the sound of his butler swallowing.

"This reaction was particularly interesting." He murmered quietly as he stroked the arachnid. "I never guessed he would be like a fainting goat and just lock up." He said and Sebastian nodded. "Interesting indeed, my young lord." He said as he followed Ciel down the halls to the exit the man was so close too. Ciel took out a lighter he had aquired some time ago and started it, thinking for a moment before he put the flame to the door frame. Instantly it caught fire and Ciel smirked. Either Sebastian was using his dominion over fire or he had soaked the wood in oil, but either way the entire structure was catching fire fast and he knew little would be left behind in the blaze. Inside he heard the paniced skittering and hissing of the various arachnids he and Sebastian had aquired for this particular maze.

He stroked the one in his hand again and stared into the flames. "Sebastian." He called and heard the raven's head turn towards him. "I used to be afraid of fire." The younger stated and Sebastian nodded. "Are you now?" He asked, ready to wisk the once-boy to safety. Ciel snorted. "No. I have thrown my nightmares away in favor of reality." He said, carelessly tossing the resident of his hand into the blaze. "And that is more frightening than any nightmare those mortal fools could come up with." He snapped before turning sharply and walking away, a smiling butler behind him.

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**Not scary enough? Use your imagination.**

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**Next chapter: Arabesque**

**Love,**

**Petra Jade**


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